timmis



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

I. A. TIMMIS.

. Y RAILWAY SIGNALING. No. 503,505. Patented Aug. 15, 1893.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I. A. TIMMIS. RAILWAY SIGNALING.

Patented Aug. 15, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

RAILWAY SIGNALING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 5( )3,505, dated August 15, 1893. Application filed October 13, 1892. Serial No. 448,774- (No model.) Patented in England May 6, 1891, No. 7,872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIM- MIs,a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at. No. 2 Great George Street, Westminster, London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling, (which has been patented to me in Great Britain and Ireland, No. 7,872, dated May 6, 1891;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to means for automatioally operating the signals of railway trains; and it consists in the novel construction andcombination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagram of four stations on a double line of railway provided with signals according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the working of the signals 1, 2 and 3 of Fig. 1, which control one block. Fig. 3 is a detail side View of the upper part of one signal, showing the means for looking it in its raised position.

At station A on the down line, signal 1 is the starter signal, and signal 2 is the home signal. At station 13, signal 3 is the starter signal and also acts as a distant signal to the home signal 2 of station A. Each signal is provided with a circuit breaker consisting of a treadle t of ordinary approved construction and adapted to be operated by the train. The signals 1 and 3 are also provided with a circuit maker 'm, which will be more fully described hereinafter. Each signal post 10 is provided with a bracket 11 to which the signal arm A is pivoted by the pin 12.

M is an electro-magnet supported by the post 10, and a is its armature. An arm at is jonrnaled on a pin y projecting from the post 10, and l t is a chain pulley secured to the said arm. A chain w connects the armature a with the chain pulley. The arm dis provided with a counterweight 0, and the said arm normally rests upon a stop 16, projecting from the post 10. A rod 17 is pivoted to the signal arm by a pin 00, and to the arm d by a pin .2. The parts are so arranged that when the arm (Z is resting on its stop, and the signal arm is raised, the pins as, y and z are in line, and the signal arm is therefore looked in position. \Vhen the electro-magnet M is energized, it attracts its armature a and thereby lowers the signal arm A into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

A lamp Z is provided to correspond with the raised position of the signal arm, and a lamp 3 to correspond with its lowered position. These lamps are of different color to indicate danger and safety in the usual way.

E is an electricity generator, and 20 is the positive main, and 21 is the negative main, connected therewith.

Each contact maker m consists of two stationary plates D D arranged between the rails as shown in the left hand of Fig. 2. Each train is provided with a contact piece 0 and two brushes B B which complete the circuit through the plates D D. One of the plates D of each contact maker is connected to the positive main 20 by the wire 22; the other plate D is connected bya wire 23 with a mercury contact m which closes automatically when the signal arm A is raised. A wire 2a leads from the mercury contact at signal 1 to the similar branch wires 25 at the signals 2 and 3. Each signal 2 and 3 is provided with similar circuit Wires and contacts, and the description will therefore be confined to those at signal 2. The wire 25 is provided with contacts c and is connected to the electro-magnct M. The electro-magnet M is connected to the negative main 21 by the wire 26 which has the treadle t inserted in its length. The armature a carries a junctionpiece 19 which connects the contacts a when the armature is raised and is free of the electro-magnet, as shown in Fig. 2. The danger lamp Z is connected to the positive main 20 by the wire 27, and to the negative main 21 by the Wire 28. The wire 27 is provided with contacts e which are connected by the junction-piece 19, secured to the armature a, when the armature is raised. A switch is also provided in the wire 27 so the lamp Z can be cut out when desired. The safety lamp 8 is connected to the wire 25 by the wire 30, and to the positive main by the wire 31. The wire 31 is provided with contacts h. These contacts h are connected by the junctionpiece when the armature a is attracted by the electro-magnet M and the signal arm A is lowered. When the circuit through the lamp 3 is closed, the current passes from the positive main through the wire 31 to the lamp 8, and thence through the wire 30, the electro-magnet M and the wire 26, to the negative main 21.

The working of the signals is as follows:

Supposing that a train is at station B and is waiting to pass into the block controlled by the signals 1, 2 and 3, and go to the station A on the down line. Supposing also that a first train has already passed through the said block. On leaving this block the first train completed the circuit through the circuit maker m in advance of station A, by means of its contact piece C and brushes B, and thereby permitted the current to pass down the wire 24 and energize the electro-magnets M of the signals 2 and 3. The electro-magnets attracted their armatures and pulled down the signal arms A. V The first train also passed over the treadle t, in advance of station A, and thereby broke the circuit through the electro-magnet at signal 1, and permitted the signal arm of signal 1 to rise automatically to danger. The second train then leaves station B and enters the block, the signals 3 and 2 being lowered. When the train passes the treadle t, first in advance of station B, it breaks the circuit through the electromagnet M of signal 3. Its armature a rises,

the. signal arm also rises, and the lamp Z is placed in circuit, the supply of electricity to the lamp 8 being simultaneously out off, The train then passes over the circuit maker m, first in advance of signal 3, and lowers the two signals between the stations B and C in the same manner as the signals 2 and 3 be? tween the stations A and B were lowered by the aforesaid first train. The train then passes over the treadle t which is connected with the signal 2, permits the signal 2 to rise to danger automatically, and draws up at station A, the signal 1 in advance of station A being at danger, and remaining so until the aforesaid first train has left the block in advance of the station A.

What I claim is v 1. In automatic. signaling apparatus, the combination, with a signal post provided with a projecting bracket, of a signal arm pivoted to the said bracket, a stationary electro-magnet, an arm pivoted to the said post and provided with a weight, a stop for the said arm to rest on, an armature operatively connected with the said arm, and a rod pivoted to the said arm and to the signal arm, the pivot pins of the said arm and rod being arranged to come into line when the arm rests on its stop, whereby the signal arm is locked when raised by the said weight and the armature is free of the electro-magnet, substantially as set forth.

2. In automatic signaling apparatus, the

combination, with an electricity generator and its mains, of'the starter signal 1 and the home signal 2 located at one station A, the said signal 1 being provided with a circuit maker m adapted to be closed by a passing train, and a contact m adapted to close automatically when the signal 1 is raised; the combined distant and starter signal 3 at another station E, the similar circuit breakers 15 adapted to be operated by a passing train and located one at each signal 1, 2 and 3, an electro-magnet at each signal, and wires operatively connectingthe eleetro-magnets and the circuit maker with the said mains, whereby the signals 2 and 3 are lowered after the train has passed the station A and has raised the signal 1, substantially as set forth.

3. In automatic signaling apparatus, the combination, with a signal arm provided with means for raising it automatically, of a stationary electro-magnet and its armature operating to lower the said signal arm when the magnet is energized, an electricity generator and its mains, a wire 25 provided with contacts c and connecting the electro-magnet with the positive main, the wire 26 provided with a circuit breaker adapted to be operated by a passing train and connecting the said electro-magnet with the negative main, a lamp 8, a wire 31 provided with contacts h and connecting the lamp with the positive main, a wire 30 connecting the said lamp with the wire 25, and a junction-piece carried by the said armature and operating to connect the contacts 0 until the armature is moved to lower the signal arm and cause the said j unction-piece to connect the contacts h, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In automatic signaling apparatus, the combination, with a signal arm provided with means for raising it automatically, of a stationary electro-magnet and its armature operating to lower the said signal arm when the magnet is energized, an electricity generator and its mains, a wire 25 provided with contacts c and connecting the electro-magnet with the positive main, the wire 26 provided with a circuit breaker adapted to be operated by a passing train and connecting the said electromagnet with the negative main, a lampl and its connections provided with the contacts e, the lamp 8 and its connections provided with the contacts h, and the j unction-pieces p and 19' carried by the said armature, and connecting the contacts 0 and e'respectively while the signal arm is raised, the said piece p operating to connect the contacts t when the signal arm is lowered, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM LEWERS, WILLIAM CANDY. 

